Darkness Rising
by alex-c101
Summary: An internet pedophile has taken a 17 year old girl while Danny and Jack struggle to find her. Meanwhile Danny struggles with his own demons facing lost cases and his own past. Please R&R!
1. Missing

_He was following a young woman in a long black coat, unable to see her face. He called out to her several times, pleading with her to stop. The street draped into the edge of a cliff, where the woman jumped off. Danny followed suit, still calling to her._

Danny Taylor awoke with a start. His dream had been an unpleasant one, but unsolved cases always followed him home. Jack had forced him to take a few days off after finding the body of a distraught teenager that had killed himself. His insides burned with guilt as he realized he had recognized the signs of a person calling out for help, but had done nothing to stop it. He lay awake in his bed for several minutes before his cell phone called out from his nightstand.

'_Taylor.'_

'_We've got a girl in here claiming her friend has been missing for a few days now. We need you in.' _ Jack's voice sounded drained, Danny knew cases involving girls around Jack's daughter's age affected him the most, especially now during his custody battle with Maria.

Danny put down his phone and grabbed the cleanest pair of pants he could find off the floor. With a sigh he grabbed his keys and headed out his apartment.

_Bullpen, 48 hours missing_

Jack had directed him to Investigation Room 3, where he found Sam and Martin questioning a girl that appeared to be in her late teens. She wore a black band t-shirt, low rise jeans, and her hair up in a messy ponytail. She had her arms crossed defensively and he could tell the atmosphere in the room was tense. After observing for a few moments Sam and Martin came out of the room, both wearing confused and frustrated looks on her face.

'_What's up?'_

Martin rubbed his eyes, _'Gail Gibson, 17, claims her friend Amy Thompson has been missing for 2 days now. She won't tell us any reasons as to why, but she's pretty sure that she's missing, probably foul play involved.'_

Sam nodded, _'She's got an attitude, but I believe her. Best friends know each other, and I have a feeling there's something she's not telling us that will help the case.'_

'_Should we visit the school?' _Danny wanted to kick himself for his suggestion, he hated interviewing teenagers who didn't want anything to do with the law.

'_See what you can dig up from other students, there's always a few that hold a grudge, especially girls around this age, they love to gossip.'_ Sam smiled mischievously.

_St.Patrick's Catholic High School_

A girl wearing the standard uniform dress shirt and short skirt walked by Danny and gave him a playful smile. Sam shook her head and mumbled something about the length of her kilt before grabbing his arm.

'_We're looking for Room 203, Music. Amy's teacher said her only other close friend was Allison Manning.'_

Danny waited outside while Sam knocked on the door and asked the teacher to borrow Allison. A short black haired girl appeared in the doorway with a frightened look on her face.

Danny smiled at her, _'Hi Allison, I'm Special Agent Danny and this is my partner Sam. Is there a place we can go and talk?'_

Allison nodded and pointed to a stairwell. Sam grabbed Danny's arm again which told him to stay back, sometimes situations arose when a victim was more comfortable talking to Sam.

They both sat down on the steps and Sam pulled out her notepad.

'_So Allison, do you have any idea where your friend Amy is?'_

Allison shook her head, _'No I haven't talked to her since Monday at school, we don't hang out much outside of class.'_

Sam nodded, _'Is there any reason she would have run away, problems at home, school?'_

'_No, she was acting perfectly fine in class on Monday, she's been really happy lately since she met this new guy.'_

'_Do you know this guy's name?'_

Allison smiled, '_She said his name was Carter, he was a few years older, but she's 17 and said he was really sweet. She met her at Benny's Grocery, she's a cashier there.'_

_Bullpen, 50 hours missing_

'_So far no leads, she lives in a rundown apartment with her mother, who hasn't seen her since Friday because of her hours at work. We took her computer from her room but so far nothing.' _Jack took a sip of his coffee, his third today.

'_If she was having problems at home she sure didn't show it at school. Her friends thought she was fine on the day she was missing.' _Sam glanced down at her notepad, _'Her friend mentioned something about a guy named Carter she was dating, they may have pulled a little Romeo and Juliet.'_

Danny pulled up a chair next to Jack, '_I just printed out her chat conversations, there's a guy she's been talking to for the past two months almost every single night. Some topics are a little mature for a 17 year old I might add. Carter claims to be 20 and lives downtown, and has been trying to persuade Amy to come and visit. Sounds like a creep to me.'_

Jack sighed, _'Run the name Carter through the computer, especially the sex offenders registry. I'm sure this Carter guy has already had a first offence.'_

Sam approached the two with coffees in each hand. _'I think we've got a lead. It's a small one, but it might help. A woman walking her kids home from school saw a girl matching the description of Amy from the flyers the police handed out. She claims an older blonde haired man was talking with her before forcing her into the passenger seat of a silver pickup.'_

Jack called over to Danny who had already begun researching on the computer, _'Run the name Carter along with the pickup. I'll call the dive team and map out a search perimeter along the river.'_

Danny fought back a cringe as the image of a girl's lifeless body was being retrieved from the icy waters.

_Interrogation Room, 51 hours missing_

Jack entered the room and took a seat across from the frustrated teenager.

'_Thanks for your patience Gail, I just have a few more questions and then you can go.'_

Gail sighed and crossed her arms defensively, _'I don't understand why I can't leave, I've told you everything I know. Isn't the fact that Amy's missing enough?'_

Jack nodded, _'We have all our agents out looking for her, but you're our main lead right now. Is there anything at all you can remember about Amy that could help us find her?'_

Gail frowned and shook her head. Jack could tell the signs of secrets and loyalty to friendships, he had seen it many times before.

'_Do you know who Carter is? My understanding is that Amy is very happy with him.'_

'_It's her boyfriend, is that against the law?'_ Gail shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

Jack stared deeply at her, his dark eyes examining every inch. Gail felt her heart begin to race and her stomach shift uneasily. Unable to bear his staring eyes, she dropped her own and stared at the floor. She took a deep breath and tried to keep herself together.

'_I know best friends keep secrets.'_

Gail was feeling vulnerable and wanted to be anywhere but with this man.

'_Fuck you.' Gail swallowed hard, not sure what her comment would bring._

With this Gail's blue eyes met Jack's dark stare. Something broke deep inside and before she could stop herself she began, _'Carter is 40. She found out on Monday. She still thinks she's in love with him, but I tried to tell her he was a creep. She stormed out of class and didn't return since. When she never called me back I knew something was up.'_

_Flashback, Classroom, Monday Morning_

A beaming Amy walks into the science room and takes a seat beside her best friend Gail.

'_He called me last night.' _Amy opened her books and looked over at Gail's work to see what page they were on.

'_I'm glad.' _Gail's eyes didn't divert from what the teacher was writing on the board.

'_What the hell is that supposed to mean?' _

Gail stared at Amy, _'It's a little obvious, Carter's a creep. You meet him online and he acts all sweet and everything, but how do you even know who this guy really is?'_

'_I know who he is, we talked on the phone for over two hours last night. He's 40, but I don't care I'm in love with him.'_

Gail didn't respond and Amy shut her books violently and stood up, _'Whatever I don't even care what you think anyways. You're just jealous he loves me.'_

She grabbed her books and walked out of the classroom.

_End of flashback_

Jack wrote something down on his notepad before continuing '_Is it possible she's run away with this guy?'_

'_I don't know, I've told you everything, can I get the fuck out of here now?'_

Jack nodded and thanked her for her time. He opened the interrogation room door and led Gail out the door.


	2. Struggle

_Bullpen, 60 hours missing_

Danny sat with his head in his hands at his desk. Strewn on his lap and over two tables were files of registered sex offenders, car descriptions, and Amy's chat description. On top of the pile was Amy's school photo; a beaming, hopeful student smiling back at him.

Jack sat down across from him, _'Do I need to send you home?'_

Danny looked up, _'No I'm fine, I think we're close to a lead here.' _He began hastily sorting through files attempting to miraculously find something at that very moment.

Jack grabbed his arm, _'Danny, it's been 60 hours. We're not even sure the exact time she went missing, all we're going on here is the word of an irate teenager. You know the policy.'_

After 48 hours the window of opportunity began to shrink enormously. No leads, no body, no reason. Although they never stop looking, the case was usually put aside for more recent ones.

'_I know she's still alive, she's with this guy and he's keeping her until he can find a good way to get rid of her. He's spooked from the flyers and the news reports, which buys us some time.'_

Jack sighed as he sensed the hopefulness in Danny's voice. Before he could interject Sam came running down the hall and into the bullpen.

'_Carter is Paul Carter, age 41, a registered sex offender living in Brooklyn.' _She threw down the file she was clutching in her hand, and Danny gaped at the picture clipped to the front. A tall blonde haired man stared back at him. He scaled every inch of the photo, recognizing the false kindness in Carter's eyes that could easily trap a teenager's trust.

'_And,' _Sam added, _'Carter has a pickup truck registered under his name, paid for by mommy after his jail sentence for molesting a 13 year old girl was served.'_

Jack stood up, _'I'll put out a state-wide search for Paul Carter and his silver pickup truck.'_

The optimism and brightness in Danny's eyes made Jack worry, he knew Danny was already wounded from the suicide of his previous case. He was doubtful on the status of Amy, and was uncertain that Danny could take another hit.

_70 hours missing_

They had received more than 50 leads after the description of the pickup came on during the 10 pm news. The clock counted each second longer, and even Danny began to notice that 70 hours was too long, the chances of finding Amy alive were slim.

Unable to stand the clock's ticking, he stood up in his chair and quickly walked into the men's washroom. He stood over the sink and vomited as scenes of the teenager lying sprawled on the street below after Danny had been unable to talk him off the rooftop of his apartment complex. He remained lying on his stomach, his arms hanging over the edge of the building after making a last attempt to grab the boy and bring him down to safety failed. It had been Jack that had come to talk to him on the rooftop, sat with him for a while and talked him through, told him to go home and take a rest, and booked a psychiatrist meeting the next day for him. He didn't know what he would do without Jack's constant support.

He looked into the mirror and saw himself staring back. The image of Amy's school photo flashed in his mind and he punched the mirror, shattering glass into his knuckles and onto the white tiles of the washroom. He focused on the pain and wrapped his hand in a handkerchief before returning to his desk.

Jack spotted him returning and approached him, _'We've got a hit at an apartment building in Queens. The landlord said a silver pickup's been parked in the visitor's area since Tuesday night.'_

Sam walked up to Jack and handed him another file, _'I just got off the phone with a resident in the same apartment, she said she went to complain about the noise coming from one of the rooms and when she approached the door she could hear someone crying out. There was a man shouting to shut up, and then silence. _

Jack frowned as he opened the file. It contained the floor plans of the West Tower Apartment, and the vacant rooms highlighted. He turned to Danny, '_I want you to ride along with me, Sam and Martin, you two go now.'_

Danny nodded and grabbed his badge and gun from the locked drawer of his desk.

_West Tower Apartments Unit 65B_

_72 hours missing_

Jack signed to Danny to move forward as his kicked in the door of one vacant apartment. He pointed his gun while searching each room and gave the signal that it was clear. The apartment reminded him of his own childhood housing, how he lived in poverty with his older brother and waited for his father to return home from the bar every night. He radioed to Sam and Martin, who were one floor down searching another room.

'_Let's move quickly, he could be tipped off by someone that we're here.'_

Danny led the way out the door and pointed his gun to the floor as he climbed the stairs two at a time. They stopped on the 9th floor at number16. Jack pressed his ear to the cracked door and could hear someone crying out. There was a man shouting to shut up, and then silence. The only sign of life was the sounds of a television inside booming an advertisement. Danny subconsciously gripped his gun tighter and Jack slowly turned the door handle to test if it was unlocked.

'_It's unlocked, and Carter's going to be armed and nervous. We need to silently move in, there's no time for backup,' _Jack whispered into his radio to Sam before turning it off, '_You look for the girl, I'll find Carter.'_

Danny nodded and drew his gun as Jack silently turned the handle and pushed open the door.

The apartment was dark and the wooden floors were cracked and dirty. Jack pointed his gun into the kitchen and gave the all-clear signal. Danny stepped into the living room where one stained sofa and a small grey television sat on the floor. The news was on with the volume turned up, identifying Amy's kidnapper as Carter. He realized that Carter was growing more and more anxious to rid himself of Amy and prayed she was still here.

He heard a floorboard creak behind him and his instinctively pointed his gun. When he turned around Jack pressed a finger to his lips for silence and pointed to the bedroom just beyond the living room. The door was slightly ajar and Danny kicked it open, his gun drawn.

'_FBI! Get your hands up!'_

Carter was standing beside the bed, shirtless and wearing a pair of dirty jeans. His mouth was open in shock as he stared at the two agents. Jack rushed forward and pointed his gun at Carter's head.

'_Where's Amy?'_

Carter put his hands in the air,_'The bitch is in the laundry room in the basement. I'm done with her anyways.' _He smiled crudely at the two. Jack kicked him down to his knees and handcuffed him.

Without any instruction from Jack, Danny ran from the room and down the hallway, his heart pounding. He wasn't sure what Carter meant but the only thought in his mind was

finding the teenager.

Danny opened the door to the basement laundry room and tucked his gun into his pant waistband. There were washing machines and dryers along both sides of the long room, and only a single light hanging by a wire illuminated the darkened area. He slowly walked to the far side of the room where the dryers ended and storage began. There were cardboard boxes and car parts scattered along the walls and floor. He saw two bare feet bound with tape between two boxes and held his breath as he approached.

'_Amy?'_ He waited for a response and felt every muscle in his body tense, his heart was pounding deep inside his chest. Amy pulled her legs into her chest and let out a quiet cry.

He let out a sigh of relief and kneeled down beside her. She was wearing her white uniform shirt and underwear, with her hands and feet bound with duct tape. Her mouth was taped and tears were running down her cheeks. She looked up at Danny and closed her eyes, expecting the worst.

'_It's okay, I'm Danny with the FBI. It's all right I promise.' _He brushed the hair from her forehead and gently pulled the tape off her mouth. He took off his shirt and covered her with it, noticing the cuts on her arms from her struggle and where Carter had probably drugged her.

He spoke into his radio, _'Jack, I've got her in the laundry room in the basement. She's okay.'_

He didn't know what 'okay' meant, but judging by what Carter had done to her, he knew she was traumatized forever.

He leaned over and picked her up to carry her out to the awaiting paramedics. He rested her on the gurney and let the paramedics take over. They draped a blanket over her and immediately gave her an I.V.

After a few minutes Jack came out of the apartment doors holding Carter. He led her past Amy's helpless body and slapped him on the back of the head. He put him into a squad car and walked over to Danny.

'_We found her,' _Danny spoke to Jack but kept his gaze focused on Amy.

'_I know, you did well,' _Jack patted him on the shoulder briefly before walking away, _'they need us back at the office Danny, there's another case, another person to be found.'_


End file.
